diff --git a/sys/src/kern/boot/boot.c b/sys/src/kern/boot/boot.c
index 6b64e51..ab8f545 100644
--- a/sys/src/kern/boot/boot.c
+++ b/sys/src/kern/boot/boot.c
@@ -55,9 +55,14 @@ boot(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/*
 	 *  start /dev/cons
 	 */
-	if(startconsole() < 0)
+	if(readfile("#ec/console", buf, sizeof(cputype)) >= 0
+	&& strcmp("comconsole", buf) == 0){
 		if(startcomconsole() < 0)
 			fatal("no console found");
+	} else if(startconsole() < 0){
+		if(startcomconsole() < 0)
+			fatal("no console found");
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * init will reinitialize its namespace.
diff --git a/sys/src/kern/boot/bootfs.proto b/sys/src/kern/boot/bootfs.proto
index 04931cb..21543c7 100644
--- a/sys/src/kern/boot/bootfs.proto
+++ b/sys/src/kern/boot/bootfs.proto
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ cmd
 		ipconfig 500 sys sys /arch/amd64/cmd/ip/ipconfig
 	hmi
 		screenconsole 500 sys sys /arch/amd64/cmd/hmi/screenconsole
+		comconsole 500 sys sys /arch/amd64/cmd/hmi/comconsole
 	usb
 		usbd 500 sys sys /arch/amd64/cmd/usb/usbd
 		disk 500 sys sys /arch/amd64/cmd/usb/disk